At the end of the 19th century, the Greek government believed that the country needed a modern railway network to play a role in international transport from Europe to Asia and Africa. The bankruptcy of 1893 and the defeat in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 cancelled these plans. In the early 20th century, though, the government decided to proceed with the construction of a standard-gauge railway line to the border with the Ottoman Empire. A branch would connect the town of Chalcis to the railway network. King George I of Greece inaugurated the Chalcis railway station on March 6, 1904. The royal family, the prime minister, many ambassadors, and thousands of people from all over Euboea attended the ceremony. Three warships (French, British and Greek) represented the countries that built the railway. The clock in the attic of the central two-storey structure identifies Chalcis as a 1st-class station. The ground hall included the ticket sales office, while the stationmaster resided upstairs. The single-storey wings contained offices, waiting rooms and a café. In 2000 the station building was declared a listed monument by the Ministry of Culture.